Haunted Like Human proves they write songs like novelists write their books, using careful detail and well-shaped characters to tell even the heaviest of stories. Yet, their musicianship and lyricism also thrive in more playful moments, like the fourth single, “Appaloosa,” out September 19th. Led by bright vocals and guitar, “Appaloosa” is an easy love song about someone who can’t quite believe they’ve landed an amazing woman. “She is messy in her musings, but all she touches turns to gold,” Chapman sings over the soaring fiddle and banjo. It’s the perfect rendering of an imperfect woman being treated like a goddess.
Whatever the topic, the songs shine with restrained arrangements and entwined harmonies. This duo tells stories so well that there’s no need to cloak them with heavy-handed production or vocal processing. Instead, Haunted Like Human lets the humanity shine through the stories they tell.